Opinion

The Pentagon recently decided not to award the Purple Heart to military personnel who develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result of combat. This has been an issue of significant contention within the military community due to there being a variety of opinions on the issue. One side believes that soldiers deserve recognition for their wounds, be they physical or mental. The other side argues that the venerability of this award would be eroded by the influx of recipients who do not necessarily suffer as a direct result of the actions of the enemy.

George W. Bush's last week in office has just about ended the Reagan era. That's not to say Reaganism is outdated – it is not and never can be – but it is to say that the Republican Party is in absolute shambles, thanks in large part to a leader who did everything but lead. It's sad to say, but Bush has really become our Carter.

It's tax season, so it's once again time to try and cook the books enough to get a little extra beer money from that return. Some of the most important tools that students have in their tax arsenal are the various educational deductions and tax credits, capable of wiping out most of the tax liabilities that we impoverished academicians carry around.

A report released on Jan. 14 by the multi-organizational Internet Safety Technical Task Force, whose formation was spearheaded by MySpace Inc., shows a surprisingly benevolent picture of the online security and privacy threats faced by children. However, the report's conclusion that "bullying among children, both online and offline, poses a far more serious threat" than the sexual solicitation of children online is drawing some sharp criticism from people throughout the country.

Ann Coulter; Russian gas; Czechs.

Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III is full of win; California Legislature full of fail; English bulldogs to get makeover?; Spike.com impales self; American voters finally not full of fail.

Is California the golden paradise it once was? Would the state that at one time had the eighth largest economy in the world be lucky to have just the eighth largest state economy in the United States? Should you even be living here anymore?

When I look into the eyes of a dog dressed in a princess outfit complete with tiara and who calls Paris Hilton's handbag a home, all I can think of is how desperately that animal must seek the sweet embrace of death. Sure, it is supremely groomed and fed on a budget the common working-class citizen cannot make in a year, but money never brings happiness. A dressed pooch is essentially the most miserable breed of dog. Finally, our British friends across the pond are setting an excellent example for how to conduct ourselves.

Sanjay Gupta; Media fixates on Obama's Daughters; WTF PETA?; Bush the Younger builds fiction career.

Robots! Pot! The CIA! Chris Matthews!

As we've seen from recent world events, extremist ideologies never lead to or create anything good. The mantra "everything in moderation" applies to more than just food, sweets and booze these days, as taking an idea too far can also poison a mind. Most notable are radical interpretations of religion. It seems we'll now have to add "animal rights" to that list as well.

Most of us at UC Irvine are familiar with pop sensations Rihanna and The Pussycat Dolls. Songs like "Don't Stop the Music," "Disturbia," "When I Grow Up" and "Buttons" are upbeat dance hits that not only have catchy lyrics, but also unique and creative music videos and dances that attract large audiences. The performance value and sex appeal that pop stars offer is often greater than their sheer musical talent. When we see stars don skimpy threads here in the United States, it often doesn't gain a second glance. However, when these singers perform overseas (such as in Muslim countries) it can often be the cause of controversy.